1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an instrument panel integrally equipped with an air bag door portion and, more particularly, relates to an instrument panel integrally equipped with an instrument panel of a type that is divided into upper and lower portions or into front and rear portions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI 5-58517 discloses an example of a construction wherein an air bag door portion of passenger-side air bag device is integrated into an instrument panel.
As shown in FIG. 28, an instrument panel 200, which is integrally equipped with the air bag door portion, has a three-layer structure composed of an instrument panel insert 202, a foamed layer 204 and a skin 206. An opening 208 is formed through the instrument panel insert 202 at a predetermined location on the passenger-side. An air bag device 212 is disposed at a location that faces the opening 208. The air bag device 212 causes an air bag body 210 to swell toward the passenger-side when a predetermined high load is applied.
Door inserts 214, 216 are fixed to the opening 208 of the instrument panel insert 202 through a fastening member 218 such as a rivet or the like, whereby the opening 208 is closed. A breakage line 220, which is to be broken at the time of deployment of the air bag body, is formed in the skin 206 at a location close to the border between the door inserts 214, 216.
However, according to the thus-constructed instrument panel integrally equipped with the air bag door portion, the tear line (breakage line) for cleavage of the door portion is exposed to a design surface, so that the designing freedom is restricted and the overall quality of the outward appearance deteriorates. Especially when the instrument panel is of a type divided into upper and lower portions or into front and rear portions, a parting line that separates those divided portions from each other is also exposed to the design surface. As a result, the designing freedom is further restricted and the overall quality of the outward appearance further deteriorates.